It Be Code Ow Deyr!

[Todd S. Malicoate]

[tubaguy9]

I just thought of it...since you might get water damage from it, could you sue possibly due to negligence?

[Dan Schultz]

I just thought of it...since you might get water damage from it, could you sue possibly due to negligence?

The only 'winners' there would be the attorneys!

[Uncle Buck]

I just thought of it...since you might get water damage from it, could you sue possibly due to negligence?

The only 'winners' there would be the attorneys!

Yeah, wouldn't be worth what you could actually collect.

[TubaTodd]

Ok, now I'm really worried about my pipes. My house is designed in such a way that my garage is below the first floor of my house. Essentially my garage IS my basement. It's a pretty big area. I could probably part 5 cars in there if I wanted to. (I've parked 4 in there before) I have the heat cranking pretty high (~70F) on the living space, but the basement has no heat source except for the heat from the house above. When I go into the basement it feels pretty chilly, but there isn't much I can do. How cold should the basement before for me to start worrying about busted pipes?

[shovelingtom]

Ok, now I'm really worried about my pipes. My house is designed in such a way that my garage is below the first floor of my house. Essentially my garage IS my basement. It's a pretty big area. I could probably part 5 cars in there if I wanted to. (I've parked 4 in there before) I have the heat cranking pretty high (~70F) on the living space, but the basement has no heat source except for the heat from the house above. When I go into the basement it feels pretty chilly, but there isn't much I can do. How cold should the basement before for me to start worrying about busted pipes?

Are they wrapped? Pipe wrap insulation is pretty cheap and easy to put on yourself.

[scottw]

Looks like you'd best take care of that bamboo, too, Wade. That close to the house, that stuff will destroy a slightly-suspect foundation in less time than you would believe possible. The perils of home maintenance!

[Rick Denney]

If the temps aren't too far below freezing, run a garden hose over to that open foundation grate. Stick one in into the water, with a brick to hold it down such that the tip doesn't get buried in mud. Run the other end out to the street at a point lower than the ground in the crawl space. Suck on that end hard enough to get the water over the hump of the grate opening, and put the free end in the gutter or ditch. That will drain what's already accumulated at least, to a place where it will do no harm.

Rick "noting that the hose will freeze eventually, but maybe not too soon to help" Denney

[scottw]

It is not bamboo, but some local weed that I have let go. It grows fast and spreads out like a mini willow. I have it pulled out on occasion, but this Summer I was both very busy and very broke. But It will be coming out soon.

I am betting on one of the myriad versions of bamboo, just based on the segmented "trunk" in the picture. A very few will not spread too far, but most will never stop. A nasty pest of a plant.

[Rick Denney]

My house is fine. It is not my mess. I don't suck on hoses for just ANY woman!

Hey, you were the one worried about being downstream from the flood.

Rick "either you're worried or you're not" Denney

[Rick Denney]

But if the owner and resident don't want the water cut off and I called it in, it would not take a genius to figure out who cut off the water in the middle of the night and litigate.

That's why I offered a solution that did not require cutting off her water, but that did protect your property. And which post was it where you said the problem was solved? I read all the posts leading up to mine before I posted, and didn't notice that it had been solved. Maybe I missed it.

Rick "thinking you were looking for a solution, and not just whining" Denney

[Donn]

Rick "thinking you were looking for a solution, and not just whining" Denney

Tsk, let's not ignore our main mission here - to entertain!

I would have to agree, though, that The Elephant's otherwise gripping tale was somewhat marred by the misplaced final chapter.

[tofu]

Perhaps you should have called the Fire Dept. If the water was gushing out of the pipe that would certainly cause a drop in pressure at the local fire hydrants. This becomes a public safety issue which trumps everything and fire departments take that very seriously as it would endanger both local residents and property as it hinders their ability to fight fires. Neither the owner nor the tenant could refuse them the right to stop the flow just like if the house was on fire they would not have the right to deny the fire dept from putting the fire out. In fact the very point that they knowingly allowed the flow of water to continue after being called to their attention and refusing to allow the water dept. to turn it off could bring charges by the cops of allowing a hazard to continue and placing the public in danger.

No one has the right to knowingly place others and their property in endangerment. So a call to the fire dept followed by the police dept and if still no satisfaction the mayor with a threat of a lawsuit and/or a call from your lawyer should nothing be done and your property was knowingly allowed to be possibly flooded/damaged by inaction by the tenant/home owner/water dept./fire dept/police dept./city officials.